55 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C.; 2 more deaths

HEALTH Minister Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Tuesday announced 55 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 2,053 cases in British Columbia.

There were two new COVID-19 related deaths: one in the Interior Health region and one in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, for a total of 105 deaths in the province.

Every health region in British Columbia has patients with COVID-19: 803 are in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 918 are in the Fraser Health region, 119 are in the Island Health region, 168 are in the Interior Health region and 45 are in the Northern Health region.

There have been no new long-term care or assisted-living facility outbreaks. In total, 20 facilities and three acute-care units have active outbreaks, with outbreaks now declared over at 12 care facilities.

Public health teams are also providing support to a number of community outbreaks, actively contact tracing those who may be directly affected and their close contacts.

As of today, 46 employees have now been confirmed positive at Superior Poultry in Coquitlam, and 34 employees are confirmed positive at United Poultry in Vancouver.

There are also 120 inmates and staff confirmed positive at the Mission Institution federal correctional centre, as well as 11 positive cases of COVID-19 connected to the Kearl Lake plant in Alberta.

Anyone who has been in Kearl Lake since March 24, or is a close contact of a worker and who has symptoms of COVID-19, is required to immediately self-isolate and should be tested. Visit the BC Centre for Disease Control website for information on a collection centre near you, or contact 811 or public health for information on testing.

To date, 1,231 people who had tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered.

Of the total COVID-19 cases, 94 individuals are currently hospitalized, 37 of those are in intensive care and the remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.

DIX and Henry said: “Our first priority is to ensure the health of all British Columbians. Every decision, every order and restriction is based on a comprehensive risk assessment focused on containing COVID-19.

“We use science as a foundation for our thinking, while recognizing that the actions we take also have significant social, financial and emotional implications.

“It is a delicate balance, as demonstrated by the co-ordinated efforts to maintain learning for K-12 students throughout the province, while putting measures in place to protect students and teachers from transmission.

“We must do all we can to ensure this as we develop our made-in-B.C. framework and create a ‘new normal’ for British Columbians.

“While we look ahead, we must all remember that our vulnerable citizens are still vulnerable. Our Elders and seniors, as well as those with underlying health conditions, are at highest risk of severe illness and we must continue to protect them.

“We must also ensure the capacity and tools we have developed within our health-care system to rapidly respond to an outbreak today are maintained.

“What is important not to lose sight of is that we all have a role to play. The decisions you make today will affect all of us tomorrow.

“Personal hygiene, safe physical distancing, staying away from others when ill. These are the core tenants of public health and the foundation of our path forward.

“Our personal health precautions are directly correlated to the epidemiological curve. Let’s get this right and continue to do the right thing.”